Powers has made – and has been recognized as making – some of Washington’s finest wines (especially Cabernets) for decades. Yet they still charge prices that would have been more than fair during the Carter administration. Name another American winery - even one - that can say the same.

Now, it may be hard to believe that the 2010 Cluver Chardonnay is actually both richer (indeed much richer) and finer (with less prominent new oak and a pH of only 3.18) than the all-everything, World-beating 2009. After all, that wine was a Parker 92, Tanzer 93, Jancis Robinson 18/20, Decanter 18.5/20, top wine ever at the Old Mutual Wine Trophy Show with a 96-point average score, winner of the Five Nations Wine Challenge…in short, the most successful Chardonnay at such a low price ever.